Much of what makes this game good is present in these few opening scenes. The characterisation, the story driven nature of the proceedings, the graphical detail, the ability to build and convey a period that was essentially a clash of cultures, albeit only streets apart. So too the cinematic perspective used in the cutscenes and the crafted repartee. They are not all good all of the time, but they come together to provide a strong and sometimes compelling adventure.

Overall, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is a nice enough adventure if you’re interested in the Jack the Ripper murders. The game stays true to the facts (even introducing real suspects like John Pizer and Francis Tumblety), it makes the investigation fun and believable, and it even presents a reasonable theory about what happened and why nobody was ever arrested. But if you play adventures for the puzzles, and you don’t really care what links them together, then this might not be the game for you. But for me, the positives outweigh the negatives, and Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is a worthwhile purchase.

In spite of some mediocre voice acting, a bit of wooden animation and a strangely out of character climax, Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack the Ripper is a fascinating re-imagining of the Whitechapel murders. Fans of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous consulting detective will have a blast rooting out all the Holmes references and in-jokes while adventure fans will be pulled along by the compelling story and varied range of gameplay.

Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper is a rarity that really makes you work those grey cells and puts you in the great detective’s shoes as he tries to capture one of the most famous murderers of all time. Don't let the graphics and pace put you off, this is a gripping tale.

Nevertheless, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is undoubtedly the best entry in the series. It does justice to both the character of Sherlock Holmes and the actual horrific historical murders of Jack the Ripper, and makes for an interesting if gruesome investigation. With smart puzzles and gameplay that makes you feel that you are actively constructing a profile on a murderer, and solving one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries, the formula of the series is condensed into a very enjoyable package. Some presentation issues and a little too much busy work bring down the game slightly, but Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is still worth a look for any adventure game fan, or anyone else interested in either famous character.

In spite of some mediocre voice acting, a bit of wooden animation and a strangely out of character climax, Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack the Ripper is a fascinating re-imagining of the Whitechapel murders. Fans of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous consulting detective will have a blast rooting out all the Holmes references and in-jokes while adventure fans will be pulled along by the compelling story and varied range of gameplay.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper comes to fill an increasing void which adventure fans had been feeling lately. I cannot classify this as an exceptional title in any aspect, but neither can I find it excessively mundane. The story is interesting, the quests are logical and the puzzles, while sometimes frustrating, are full of imagination. But although the game’s qualities are indisputable, I wasn’t really impressed. Maybe because I was too pissed off over some puzzles, maybe because Holmes’ voice seemed unbearable or perhaps I am expecting with too much enthusiasm a new surprise from Lucas Arts. But for the rest of you adventure fans or for those who have ever dreamt themselves detectives, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper should not be missed.

Adventure games have seen a resurgence, and there have been several Sherlock Holmes games these last few years. Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is a decent adventure game with a lot of historical nuance, and one that most will enjoy. Better integrated puzzles and more thoughtful clue finding missions would improve the overall quality, but what is here is still fun.

Some people would dismiss this as a dull, slow paced historical game – but they would be missing the point. This is a perfect representation of the Holmes world, mixed in with one of the greatest unsolved cases of our time. The puzzles are spot on and never feel unfair, and the story drags you in and makes you feel like you are personally tracking down the Ripper. However, it is safe to say that the style and content of the game is never going to win over any new converts to this particular genre.

Despite the lack of truly compelling gameplay and any kind of replay value, I would still recommend this game due to its rewarding and involving crime and puzzle solving elements, and obviously, because of its strong story. Sure, the characters, particularly the annoying lead, can tend to waffle on a bit, but overall, they help build the atmosphere and set the scene for the events that transpire. For history buffs, it lets you look into a slice of life at the time, a poor, desolate, and frightened London. And for pure gamers, it offers a unique and intriguing puzzle solving experience, that proves both rewarding and compelling. It does feel a tad under accomplished though, and you do get the sense it could have been so much better, but as it stands, it's still a game worthy of your time and attention. Just wait for it to hit the bargain bin, as paying over £20 for this game would be as big a crime as Jack the Ripper committed himself.

Still, this game is a case of one step forward, two steps back for the series. Whilst major improvements have been made over past entries – the excellent graphics, the two control options – the new theme doesn’t entirely gel. It might sound like a good match to pair up the most notorious villain of the Victorian era with the most famous literary detective, but it just doesn’t fit with the series’ gameplay smoothly, and is strangely limited in terms of plot, feeling very prosaic and small-scale. Even with some of the unnecessary digressions, the main investigation is definitely enjoyable, however, and well worth playing if you like the series or the characters involved here. Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is an unexpectedly sedentary and thoughtful game, and it’s far from bloody awful, if not quite the ripping good yarn it could have been.

Your enjoyment of Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper likely depends on how much you appreciate story over substance. Anyone who has read about the serial killer's gruesome crimes will find it just about impossible to put down the retelling of this dark era of London's history. At times, it really feels like you've stepped into the Jack the Ripper investigation. But anyone who favors innovative adventure gaming might find that the quests and puzzles are a little too orthodox.

The honest truth with Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is that I got bored very quickly and was frustrated by many of the often secretarial and impractical puzzles. I think it could have been so much better if Frogwares would have at least kept up the sense of urgency. There was at least a couple of times where Holmes would explain to Watson that they needed to return to their headquarters on Baker Street in order to think things over for a couple of days, immediately deflating the tension. This is a $20 game and does come off as being more than just your average value title, though. Unfortunately, I would only recommend this to the adventure gamers that love puzzles and believe fans of the series will probably be disappointed.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is not without its shortcomings. Some of the puzzles make you want to hurt people, some of the acting and writing is laughably bad, and its poor 3rd person controls are incredibly annoying. However it partially makes up for this with a decent story and interesting murder solving puzzles. The game is an interesting one, but one that I can’t fully recommend due to its niggling flaws. However this is one of a number of the games in the series so they must be doing something right. Although they also made multiple Big Momma’s Houses, so volume doesn’t always equal quality. Frogwares have made a half decent game that could be a hell of a lot better. Hopefully the next adventures can clear up a few of these issues.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is an encouraging combination of typical adventure gameplay mechanics and innovative new additions, and it brings together two of the most notable figures in the history of crime (both real and fictional). But the good in the game is almost ruined by major design flaws, several of which have survived through previous games in the series. If Frogwares can fix these problems (primarily the mouse lag and the ponderous pacing), they will have finally succeeded in producing what was once thought to be the impossible: a point-and-click adventure that’s fun to play from beginning to end.

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper is an uneven adventure that at times feels like two very different games--one a mesmerizing gorefest of a procedural crime drama that you can't put down, and the other a generic adventure that you've played a thousand times before. True crime fans will still have a blast, although the game could have been a lot better if it had stuck with its innovative investigations of the Ripper killings and not loaded the good stuff down with so many castoffs from adventure gaming's past.

Sherlock Holmes vs. The Jack Ripper is an enjoyable title that is let down by basic flaws such as the controls and unnecessary objectives in the story mode. Whilst the title feels like a simple PC port, if you’ve been looking to get your hands on a detective game for the Xbox 360, this is a recommended purchase.

I wouldn’t say I was disappointed by Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper, but that’s only because one look at the back of the box should cause any hopes you had for the game to wither away and melt into a pool of pessimism. The premise is interesting, and there are a couple of notable puzzles, and the plot is at the very least passable. However, as a whole the game is a mess, and it’s hard to recommend this game to anyone unless they cosplay as Jack the Ripper or Sherlock Holmes, or some sort of unholy amalgamation named Sherlock the Ripper or Jack the Holmes that goes around solving crimes by stabbing people.